Livingstone walk, Ulva

Summary

The explorer David Livingstone's grandparents lived on a croft near the southern shores of beautiful Ulva and this excellent, varied circuit visits the ruins at the site as well as a cave and some basalt columns on the coastline. Make sure you leave plenty of time to get back before the last ferry. There is usually no ferry on Saturdays, and Sundays are only in high season.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Rating

Terrain

Mostly a rough path, boggy and unclear at times but marked with white wooden posts. This is more challenging than the other Ulva walks.

Public Transport

Ferry to Ulva usually on demand 9-5 April to October; no ferries on Saturdays, Sunday ferries only June to August. From Salen, there is the Ulva Ferry Community Bus, which must be booked in advance.

Start

Ulva ferry jetty. Open in Google Maps.

Hillwalking in Winter

Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. All route descriptions and difficulties given here are for summer conditions. See our Winter Skills page for basic information on the essential skills, techniques and knowledge needed for winter hillwalking.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 7.5km / 4.75 miles
Time (summer conditions): 2.5 - 4 hours
Ascent: 185m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NM443398

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Accommodation

Walk Description

User reports (1)

Stage 1

The Ulva ferry runs on demand when open and is summoned by sliding a board to reveal a red square above the jetty. The crossing is short and lands at a pier just below the excellent Boathouse cafe at the eastern end of the island. There are several waymarked walks on Ulva and a leaflet is available with a basic map; all begin by heading to the right along the track. A signpost indicates Sheila's House on the right - this old heather-thatched building is a tiny museum and also houses information about the island. Return to the signpost and follow the narrow track to the west.

Stage 2

Almost immediately a junction with many signs is reached; go straight on (Livingstone Walk is signed). At the next fork keep slightly left and continue (ignoring another path off left) with views over the creek on the right. When yet another signed junction is reached turn left (signed again), and then keep straight ahead when another route joins in from the right. At the farm buildings, turn right through the woods, passing a concrete water tank as the path ascends and passes through a gate. Ignore a stile off to the right (the Woodland route crosses here) and continue ahead.

Stage 3

The woods are left behind as the path continues over rocky, undulating moorland. At the next junction go left (signed for Ormaig and South Side as well as Livingstone walk). The path bends round to the right and continues up a depression. As it winds left and right a little, look over to the right to see a pointed standing stone; marked on the OS map as fallen, it has obviously been righted since. The path then bends sharp left; leave the track here and instead turn left onto a path signed as the Livingstone Trail. It passes through a gap in the wall, then bears right and plunges downhill. Keep to the right of a fence; further down the path - very muddy in parts - passes through some dense woodland.

Stage 4

It emerges from the wood and continues beside a drystone wall, before passing through and to reach a ruined old crofters' cottage. This was once been the home of the grandparents of the legendary explorer and missionary David Livingstone; there's a memorial inside. It seems a long way from Ulva to Africa. From here the route turns sharp left. It passes below the scant ruins of another cottage. This section can be wet underfoot in places; keep looking for the marker posts. The route keeps to the left of the flat boggy area before turning right along the bottom of the slope. Many of the posts have been knocked down by cattle.

Stage 5

Soon the path climbs a steep bank (photo). At the top continue ahead, then bear right to reach a junction. Here a sign (unstable) indicates where a diversion to the left leads up to visit a caveat the base of the cliffs. This large chamber provides shelter on a foul day, but is more distinguished by its archaeological finds, uncovered by a team from the University of Edinburgh in the 1980s. A shell midden here showed the cave was inhabited 7,000 years ago, whilst the remains of a human infant, lemmings and arctic fox were also found here. The cave rather incongruously houses a wooden shed. Return to the path and follow it as it slopes diagonally down towards the coastline.

Stage 6

The path heads through an old drystone dyke as it reaches the coastal cliffs, soon giving a fine view of some basaltic pillars. These are known as the Castles and were once considered by the inhabitants to rival the formations on Staffa; a claim mocked by Johnson and Boswell on their visit.

Stage 7

The walk passes through an area of hazel and birchwood, and then climbs to run along a shelf. A circular monument can be seen high on a hill to the left - this is the Clark Memorial. Francis William Clark bought Ulva in 1835 and carried out a brutal clearance of two thirds of the inhabitants, using methods including the burning the thatch on the houses. He built the massive memorial to himself, whilst Ulva remained in Clark ownership into the twentieth century. The path heads into more hazel woodland, eventually reaching a junction. A muddy path appears to go left here, but our walk continues by descending steeply from this point. Pass through a gap in a drystone dyke and then out from the trees. Another junction is reached, the sign propped up using an old piece of farm machinery. The Woodland walk joins in from the left here, whilst our route continues bearing slightly right before swinging left alongside a fence.

Stage 8

The path descends to a gate to reach another junction; the woodland walk heads off round the coast to the right whilst we head inland signed 'Ferry 30 mins'. Head up a walled rough track between stone walls lined by some fine trees. Continue through the farmyard, then bearing right (signed Ferry). Keep left through a gate and then bear right where a track swings round to Ulva House. Keep straight ahead where a path goes right by a barn (the shore route joining back in once more). Continue ahead at the following junctions and between a pair of massive gateposts. Finally the outward route is joined; go right here to return to the Boathouse and the ferry.

Route Profile

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